Article handling apparatus



Feb. 14, 1939. H. R. @TTHARDT 2,146,893. ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS lFiled May 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l SWW Feb. 14, l1939. H R. GOTTHARDT2,146,893

ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed may 18, 195e 2 sheets-shawls 55 25 zeJ/ 54 www 2,146.89: i ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS' Henry R. Gotthardt,Louisville, Ky., -alsignor to man Co. Inc., Louisville, Ky., acorporation o! Kentucky Application May 18.1938. serial No. 208.685I

' .9 claims. (ci. 'zu-Lian) 'I'his invention relates -to articlehandling apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for handlingand turning coiled strip steel and the like.

In my prior Patent No. 2,101,738, granted December '7, 1937, I havedisclosed a coil handling apparatus particularly adapted for receivingcoils of strip steel in a vertical position, turning the coils to ahorizontal position and feeding them into an uncoiler. The priorapparatus, generally speaking, comprises 'a pair of sections arrangedapproximately at right angles to each other with one section beingadapted to receive an incoming coil. The two sections are mounted forbodily swinging movement through approximately 90 degrees whereby a coilon the normally horizontal receiving section will be turned with thesections to be supported on the other or discharging section with thelatter in approximately a horizontal position. The discharging sectionis provided with a relatively movable portion adapted tobe tilted todischarge a coil-therefrom to be received in an uncoiler.

In certain instances it is highly desirable to provide a coil handlingmechanism loi' the general character referred to which is adapted'toup-end or turn a coil in either direction. In'other words, it isdesirable in an apparatus of the general type shown in my prior patentto sometimes use the discharging section as the receiving section tosupport a coil to be transferred to the other section, normally thereceiving section, to be discharged therefrom. Moreover, in suchparticula'r installations it is customary when placing a coil on one ofthe sections to transfer it thereto substantially horizontally from aram truck whereas, in some cases, a coil is placed on the' othersection, when the latter is to be used as lthe receiving section, bymeans of a magnetic crane or the like. Accordingly it frequently occursthat a coil will be placed on the latter section with considerableshock, resulting in damage to the apparatus. 1

It is an important object of the present invention to provideimprovements in my prior structure referred to whereby a coil may bereceived on either section and turned to a position supported on theother section to be discharged therefrom.

A further object is to provide an article handling apparatusV of thecharacter referred to wherein one of the sections is providedwith aportion relatively movable to assist in feeding an article into or fromthe apparatus as may be desired.

A further object is to provide such an apparatus wherein the relativelymovable portion referred to is mounted to turn on a horizontal pivot toslope downwardly toward the other section, when the latter is inapproximately vertical position, to assist in feeding an article to theapparatus, or wherein the relatively movable section, under suchconditions, may be turned to tilt downwardly away from the other sectionto assist in discharging an article from the apparatus by gravity.

A further object is to provide an auxiliary conveyor section,cooperating with said relatively movable section, to assist the latterin feeding an article to or from the apparatus.`

A further object is to provide an auxiliary conveyor section havingmeans associated therewith for causing it to assume a position inclineddownwardly toward the article turning meansv to assist in feeding an'article thereto, or downwardly away from the article turning means toassist in discharging an articlev therefrom, the conveyor section andthe relatively movable section of the coil turning means being capableof assuming corresponding positions whereby each acts with the other infeeding an article to or from the apparatus.

A further object is `to provide means for cushioning the auxiliaryconveyor section to absorb shocks incident to the. placing thereon ofheavy articles such as coils of strip steel.

A further object is to provide means associated with the tilting meansof the auxiliary conveyor for reslliently supporting oneA end of thelatter to cushion shocks when heavy articles are placed on the auxiliaryconveyor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the drawings I have shownone embodiment of lthe invention. In thisshowing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus,

Figure 2 is a plan-view,

Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a similar' view on line I--l of Figure l,

Figure 5 is a similar view on line 5 5 of Figure 1, and

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view on line 6--6 of Figure 1. v

Referring to the drawings, the numeral i0' designates a pair of spacedparallel supporting frames suitably connected by end frame members il.The side frame members support opposite bearings I2 in which arerotatably mounted axles or shafts i3 carrying flanged wheels i4 at Itheir ends. The wheels i4 at the right hand side of the apparatusv asviewed in Figure 1 can be mounted on a common axle while the other pairof wheels i4 may be mounted on short shaft sections having their innerends similarly mounted in bearings i2 carried by supports I0.

An article turning support indicated as a whole by the numeral l5,isadapted to be supported by the wheels il for the purpose o f turning orup-ending articles to be handled by the by any suitable means apparatus.The support Il comm arcuate side plates It. each provided atripherywithanarcuaterailmember i1 theretoandwiththewheebcordinglyitwillbeapparentthat asawhole isadaptedtobe Thesupportllarticle handling and sections catedasawhoiebythenumeralsnandu supportreasonably close to the center Il. platesliarecutbackasat22and22andthese 2l and 2| so as not to interfere witharticles thereon.

The article handling section 2l comprises a pair of outer horizontalrail members 24 preferably of anglefsection as shown in Figure 5 andmember 2l, parallel to the members 24. veyor rollers 21 are arrangedbetween'the rail member 2l and each of the rail members 24. 'Iheouterendofthesectioncarriesatransverse shaft 2l, such shaft beingmounted in bearings 22 (Figure 5) secured to the rail members 24andtoatransversebracetlextendingbetween the plates I4.

Prom the foregoing it will be apparent that while the section 2l isbodily movable with the support IS when the latter turns on the axis ilthesection2lismountedtoturnonthehori zontal axis of the shaft to assumepositions inclined slightly downwardly or upwardly with respect to thehorizontal when the support Il is in the position shown in Figure 1.This change in angularity is provided in order to assist in movingarticles to or from the support. depending upon whether the articles arebeing fed to the section 2l or are being discharged therefrom.

For the purpose of determining the vertical position o f the i'nner endof the section 2l, when the support ilisinthe positionshowninllgure 1,atransverseshaft Il ismountedinbearingsl!supportedonatransversebracememberextending between and secured to I t.Inwardly of each bearing 22 provided with a cam 24 having pointsllandll.Theshaftt such cams

audacethesection2lacisslmilarlytomovesrticlesintothesupporti,andthereasaisforthisarrangementwilibeccme Wellb- IheseetionMh'similartotbesecttmnin Thisgear is used to deliver power the supportIltoturnitbetweenitstwopositionstobereferredto. Tofurnishpowerfortheturningmovement of the support Il, a motor 44 (Figures 1 and 2) ismoimted between the side frame members il an'd is provided with a driveshaft 45 coupledtotheinputshaft cfa conventional speed reduction gearing4l. The out put shaft 48 of the gearing 41 is provided with a gear 4Imeshing with the segment gear 48. Accordingly it will be apparent thatthe motor 44 mayi'idrivenineitherdirectiontoturnthempport An auxiliaryconveyor indicated as a whole by the numeral Il is associated withthesection 2l of the support Il. The conveyor It comprises side railsllanda centerbearingbracket l2and a plurality of rollers Il is mountedbetween the bearingbracketandeachofthesiderailsll.TherailsllmaybeconnectedbycrossmembersMtowhichthebearingbracketisseeured. The rollers l2 preferably correspondin arrangement to the rollers 21 and form therewith a continuousconveyor, as will become apparait.

Adjacent the inner end of the conveyor I4 a pairofpostsilaremountedonandproiectupwardiy from the side frame members Il (Figure 1)andthesepostsareconnectedbyatransverse brace.Eachpostllearriesabearingll at itsupperendandtheinnerendoftheconveyorsection I4 is supported by a horizontal transverse shaft Il mounted inthe bearings l1. It will be apparent that the shafts 2l and It whichsupport the section 2l and conveyor I4 are arranged adjacent each otherand accordingly the adjacent rollers of the section 2l and conveyor Ilremain at approximately the same horizontal position under allconditions.

Apairofshortchannelsectionsl. (Figuresl and4) arearranged onandsecuredto theframe members Il at the end thereof remote from the support il.These channel members support s arcanes y f transverse member 66 ofchannel or suitable cross section and provided with bearing blocks 6I.ing members 62 are arranged above the transverse member 60 and areprovided with .depending stems 63 vertically slidable in the blocks 6Iand provided with cushioning springs 6I. A

transverse shaft 65 is journaled in the bearing members 62 and isprovided adjacent opposite ends with cams66 having high and low points61 and 68 engageable beneath the lower anges of the side rails 5I. Acrank handle 69 is carried by one end of the shaft 65.

'I'he operation of the apparatus is as` follows:

As previously stated, the present apparatus, as distinguished from myprior construction referred to, is adapted to receive an article, suchas a coil of strip steel on the section 20, and these turn the supportI5 and place the coil on the section 2| to be discharged therefrom, orit may eceive a coil in horizontal positionon the section 2I when thelatter is in horizontal position, where- `upon the support may be turnedto the position shown in Figure 1 tosupport the coil on and discharge itfrom the section 2li. Assuming that a coil is to be received on thesection 20 to be discharged from the section 2|, the coil will be placedin position on the conveyor 50. When the apparatus is being so employed,each of the cranks 31 and 69 will be rotated 180 degrees from theposition shown in Figure 1 whereby the free end of the section-20 willbe supported on the low points 36 of the cams 34 while the free endofthe conveyor 50 will be supported upon the high points 61 of the cams66. Accordingly both-the section 20 and conveyor 50 will be inclineddownwardly toward the right as viewed in Figure 1, the tops of theconveyor rolls 26 and 53 lying in a common inclined plane.

In the particular type of installation for which the present apparatusis especially intended, it is the common practice to handle the coils bymagnetic cranes and the coils are sometimes rather roughly placed inposition with accompanying shocks to the parts. With the presentconstruction it will be apparent that the free end of the conveyor 50 issupported by the cushioning springs 64 and when a coil is placed on therollers of the conveyor 50, the shock incident to the placing of thecoil is absorbed by the springs 64, thus protecting any of the partsfrom injury.

In the particular case being considered the coil f is placed inpositionon the rollers 53 in a vertical position, and it readily may berolled over the rollers 53 and then over the rollers 21 to a position incontact with the rollers 36 of the section 2l. The curved side of thecoil will lie against the rollers 38 and, as stated, these rollers forma troughed conveyor for the particular purpose of handling substantiallycylindrical articles such as sheet metal coils.

With the coil supported on the rollers 21 and lying against the rollers33, the motor 64 is started and the gear i9 (Figure 5) will be driventhrough the reduction gearing. The gear t9 meshes with the segment gear43, and accordingly the support i5 will be turned to the dotted lineposition shown in Figure 1 with the section 20 approximately in verticalposition and the section 2i approximately in horizontal position. Ifdesired, in order to assist in discharging the article from the section2l, the latter may be turned slightly beyond a horizontal position to beinclined downwardly and outwardly with respect to the support I5. Thecoil will lie on its side on the rollers 38, and

may be moved along the rollers to be `discharged from the section 2l.

When it is desired' reverse the previously describedoperation of t eapparatus the parts are moved to the dotted line position shown inFigure `1 with the section 2| arranged horizontally orv slightly abovethe horizontal to incline the rollers 33 downwardly and inwardly; .Thesection2I is then ready to receive a coil which ordinarily is placedthereon by means of a ram truck, the coil lying on its side inhorizontal position. 'I'he coil is moved over the rollers 36 until theend of the coil contacts the rollers 21, whereupon the motor 44 may beoperated to turn the support in a counter-clockwise direction to thesolid line position shown in Figure 1.

Under the conditions referred to the section 20 becomes the dischargingsection of the support, under which conditions it is desired to slopethe section 20 and also the conveyor 50 downwardly and outwardly withrespect to the support I5. Under such conditions the cranks 31 and 69will be turned to the positions shown in Figure 1. Therefore, thesection 20 will be supported on the high points of the cams 3l while theconveyor 5I will be supported on the low points of the cams 66. With theparts so arranged, the tops of the rollers 21 and 53 will lie in acommon plane sloping slightly downwardly and outwardly with respect tothe support I5. Accordingly the coil will stand on end on the rollers ofthe section rollers of the conveyor 50 will facilitate the movement ofthe coil from the support for delivery as may be desired. y

As previously stated, the shafts 28 and 58 are arranged relatively closetogether to support the remote ends of the section 20 and conveyor 50for vertical movement when the support I5 is in the position shown inFigure 1. Whether the section 2li and conveyor 50 slope downwardly andoutwardly with respect to the section I5 or downwardly and inwardly withrespect to the section I5, the tops of the rollers 21 and 53 in eithercase will lie approximately in the same horizontal plane and thereforewill form, in effeet, a single continuous conveyor which may be usedeither for feeding articles to the apparatus or for discharging articlestherefrom. It will be apparent that the use ofthe conveyor 50 with itscushioning means saves the section 20 from substantial shocks incidentto the placing of coils in position by overhead cranes or the like.Accordingly the apparatus is highly eicient for handling strip steelcoils in either direction, depending upon the destination and thedesired position of the coil. It also will be apparent that theapparatus is relatively simple in construction and is effectivelyprotected against injury from shocks incident to the placing in positionof veryv heavy objects such as the coils referred to.

It is to be understood that the formof the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes in the shape,.size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to withoutv armas aontalnandmeansforturningsaidsectioninadirectionoutwardlywithrespecttosaid on said axisy to cause suchsection to asume support,andaconveyorsectionmovahlysupporteltheroftwopositionsslordngupwardiyordownedtoassumepositiouinalignment'withandwardlyawayfromtheothersectionwhensaidformingineil'ectacontinuationofsaidportion gothersectionisinverticalpoaition. ofsaidsupport.

articlehandlhigapparatuscompriainga sectionsarrangedetrlshtxivotallysupportingonesectionmahorisontalaxis, ahorizontalshaftspaeediromsaidaxis,

-anglestoeachothenmeansforbodilyturningsaidsectionstoturnanarticleandtotransfer upwardly or downwardly awayfrom said other section when the latter is in vertical position.

4. An article handlingapparatus comprising a of sections arrangedapproximately at right to' each other, means forbodily turningseetionstoturnanarticle andtotransfer the article from one section tothe other, means for pivotally supporting one section on a horlzontalaxis'sdjacent the edge of such section remote from the other section,ahorizontal shaft arranged adjacent the end of said pivoted sectionadjacentsaid other section,acamcarried by said shaft and having hlsh andlow points engageable with said pivoted section to support the lattertilted in either of two positions inclined upwardly o r downwardly awayfrom said other section when the latter is in vertical position il. Anarticle handling apparatus comprising a support adapted to receive anarticle. means for swingingaaidsupporttoturnthearticletoa differentposition with the article supported on a portion of said support, meansfor supporting said portion for turning movement on a horizontal axis,means for engaging said portion of the support to turn it about saidaxis to either of two positions inclined upwardly or downwardly in adirection outwardly with respect to said support when the latter is in apredetermined position, and a conveyor section movably supported toassume positions in alignment with and forming in eect a continuation ofsaid portion of said support.

6. An article handling apparatus comprising a support adapted to receivean article, means for swinsinasaid supporttoturnthearticletoa differentposition with the article supportedV on a portion of said support, meansfor supporting said portion for turning movement on a horizontal axis, ahorizontal rotatable shaft, a cam carried by said shaft and having highand low points selectively engageable with said portion of the supportto tilt it upwardly or downwardly igt of sections arranged approximatelyatright 'LAnarticlehandlingapparatuscomprisinga pairofsectionsarrangedapproximatelyatright anglestoeachotherandmountedtotmnaboutahorizontalaxisparalleltothdrlineofintersectlontoturnanarticleandtotramferitfrom one section to theother, means for pivotally supporting oneofsaid sections forturningmovementwith respect to ahorizontalaxis'paralleltosaidlineofintersectionandlocatedadjacent the end of the pivotedsection remote fran said -line of intersection, a horizontal shaftbeneath said pivoted section adjacent the inner endthereof,acamonsaidshaftsaid pivotedsectionto turnitonitsaxis toinclineit upwardly or downwardly away from the other section when the latter isin approximately vertical position, and a conveyor section arranged inend to end relation with said pivoted section and pivoted on a'horizontal axis at the end adjacent said pivoted section to assumepositions forming a continuation thereof in approximately a common planetherewith.

8. An article handling apparatus comprising a pair of sections arrangedapproximately at right angles to each other and mounted to turn about ahorizontal axis parallel to their line of intersection to turn anarticle and to transfer it from one section to the other, means forpivotally supporting one of said sections for turning movement withrespect to a horizontal axis parallel to said line of intersection andlocated adjacent the end of the pivoted section remote from said line ofintersection, a horizontal shaft beneath said pivoted section adjacentthe inner end thereof, a cam on said shaft engaging said pivoted sectionto turn it on its axis to incline it upwardly or downwardly away fromthe other section when the latter is in approximately vertical position,a conveyor section arranged in end to end relation with said pivotedsection and pivoted on a horizontal axis at the end adjacent saidpivoted section to assume positions forming a continuation thereof inapproximately a common plane therewith, a horizontal shaft adjacent theouter end of said conveyor section, and a cam carried by said last namedshaft constructed and arranged to tilt said conveyor section to eitherof two positions coinciding with the tilted position of said pivotedsection.

9. An article handling apparatus comprising a support formed of a pairof sections arranged approximately at right angles to each other, meansfor bodily turning said sections to tum an article and to. transfer itfrom one section to the other, means pivotally supporting one section ona horizontal axis adjacent the end of such section remote from the othersection, a conveyor section arranged in end to end relation with 'andpivoted adjacent said pivoted section when said support is in apredetermined position,` and co-related cams engaging the remote ends ofsaid pivoted section and said conveyor section to cause them to assumesubstantially corresponding angles tothe horizontal to form substantialcontinuations of each other.

HENRY R. GUI'I'HARDT.

